Taxi comparison app Karhoo launches in Liverpool

Taxi comparison app Karhoo has given its North West presence a boost by launching in Liverpool.

The company, which expanded into Manchester earlier this year, said it has already signed up some of the city’s biggest cab firms and expects to offer Liverpool consumers access to 1,600 cars by the end of October.

Karhoo has so far struck deals with Liverpool cab firms such as Britannia Taxis, Seaforth Radio Cars and Excel Private Hire.

Further, the company said it is due to make vehicles from Village Group, Argyle Park Taxis,(Wirral) Radio Cars, ComCab Taxis and others available to book soon.

With its UK HQ in London, Karhoo is already live in Manchester, London, Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Birmingham and Bristol, with launches planned for Stoke, Leeds and Newcastle in the near future.

According to Karhoo, many of its partner fleets are already reporting revenue surges as high as 30%, with some hiring additional drivers to cope with the increased demand.

The director of Liverpool-based Seaforth Radio Cars, Lee Evason, said: “Karhoo is really levelling the playing field and giving licensed and accredited mini-cab companies the chance to get more work and compete with other apps.

“Karhoo gives us the opportunity to really thrive, making it easier for both new and existing customers to use us. It is a win-win for the industry and consumers.”

Karhoo’s founder and CEO, Daniel Ishag, commented: “We are delighted to be launching in Liverpool, one of the most vibrant cities in the country.

“Karhoo will gives passengers more choice and transparency when booking a cab and, with our ever-growing network of local operators, Karhoo will make it easier to book a ride than ever before.”

He continued: “Karhoo is a game-changer, giving the booking.com generation the smartest way to choose and book a cab ride.

“Over the last 15 years, millions have been spent by industries educating consumers about comparison services. Hotels, airlines and insurance companies all use comparison sites but ground transportation was lagging behind, until now.”

Karhoo is backed by the United Kingdom Trade & Investment’s (UKTI) Global Entrepreneur Programme (GEP).

In a joint statement, UKTI’s GEP head Derek Goodwin and dealmaker Alpesh Patel said: “Karhoo is a great example of the type of tech company that the Global Entrepreneur Programme is designed to help – a great business that is growing quickly and has accessed advanced markets all over the world.”